Whilst Yeovil Town have saved the majority of their lesser performances during the 2016-17 season to away matches, on Saturday against Luton Town they served up something that put their recent failings in full view of their home supporters. Such heavy defeats on home turf are extremely rare - the last time we lost by a four goal margin in a league match was back in April 2012, when we suffered a 0-6 reverse against Stevenage. On that day they had some mitigating circumstances in that Michael Woods got red carded during the first half whilst we were 0-1 down, and the visitors kept picking us off by stretching the wing play to use the man advantage.

Six goals in April 2012 was embarrassing, but you could brush it off by pointing out that we'd played with ten men for an hour, whilst it helped that we won both home matches on either side of that disaster. A few weeks prior to that fixture we'd been on a run of six wins in eight matches, so the context of that thrashing was different. That's not to say that fans didn't show dissent on the day, but it eventually became recognised as a one-off howler.

It is harder to brush off the March 2017 manner in which Luton Town took the Glovers apart. It comes as part of a run of form that has seen the club pick up just one League win in sixteen fixtures, and as part of form that has seen us fail to score in four matches, extending the overall winless run to eight games. Moreover, the sense is that things have been on a bit of a slide. The defeat at Cheltenham Town a few weeks ago should have been a wake-up call to the team and management, but it hasn't been.

Darren Way's post-match interview wasn't the best that I've heard. When asked what disappointed him the most about the 0-4 defeat, I expected to hear something that told me that full-backs didn't close down wingers, or that centre-backs didn't pick up their markers, or that midfielders didn't protect their defensive team-mates - something that gave me a clue of what Darren would be doing on the training ground to make next week a bit better.

Instead in the answer that followed, we learned that Darren was managing a 'young group' - three times in the answer to that single question! As it happens, Yeovil Town's starting line-up had an average age of 26.6 years, whilst Luton Town's eleven had an average age of 25.27 so we certainly weren't at a disadvantage here. But even if there was some truth behind that, then I think you have to manage it either from the touchline, or by using the more experienced members of your squad to act as mentors for the younger players.

We also learned that Darren didn't think the opening goal - a penalty kick - should have been awarded. This isn't the first time that refereeing decisions have been disputed this season - sometimes with justification such as the Solihull Moors away fixture, but on other occasions, such as Blackpool, video replays have given us a different picture. My view was that Bevis Mugabi went through Isaac Vassell to get the ball, and so referee Kevin Johnson's decision looked a fair one. Certainly by rushing in on a sliding tackle, Bevis had given the opportunity for the spot kick to be given, when I think he would have been better off trying to force his man wide.

As one of our less experienced players, that may be an opportunity for improvement for Bevis, but it won't be if his manager's honest opinion is that he thought it was a fair tackle. On top of that, there were three other goals conceded, but they didn't get a mention in the interview, so we had no chance of learning what he thought of our marking from free kicks, or the way we got skinned from our own attacking corner, or the way that we failed to close players down for the fourth goal.

Instead we learned that "the build-up to the game (was) managed it in the best way that we could to try to get three points", which implies that Darren doesn't see the need to analyse his own methods of preparing his team. We also learned that 'social media' can affect young players. The relevance to this in the middle of a 4-0 thumping escapes me. It's true to say that if you actively search for YTFC-hashtagged posts on Twitter after recent fixtures, then what you read will certainly not be pretty. But if you were expecting a bed of roses after the woeful Cheltenham Town performance, or the borefest of the Notts County game, then you're in for a surprise. Supporters vent their spleens, and if you're sensitive to that sort of thing then don't read it.

Even so, I very much doubt that what a player reads on Twitter during midweek will be relevant to whether he picks up his marker on a free kick. Darren has brought up the issue of social media around five times during this season. It may be that it is an issue for one or two of his players, but if that is the case, then advising those player(s) to stick their account on private, or avoid too many global searches outside your network of friends may be the best thing to do. I suspect that for most players, the moment they step out onto the pitch and hear the roar of the crowd, that and what they did on the training ground that week will be more of an influence on their game. It didn't strike me as a particularly significant factor to bring up, particularly given there are more pressing issues afoot! Overall recent interviews have come across as having too much emphasis on things the club either can't control or have little influence upon matches, and not enough emphasis on the things that matter.

The wider issue is of course the overall run of form. The statistics are particularly stark. One win in sixteen league games. No wins in the last eight fixtures. No goals in the last four fixtures. No wins in the last eleven away fixtures. Nine goals in the last sixteen league games. In Saturday's interview, Darren insisted that "you can look at it in two ways" referring to the number of draws we've had during that time, but I'm not convinced that you can. Draw up a League Two table based on the last sixteen fixtures and we'd be in the bottom two.

Inevitably, the question has come up amongst fans as to whether we should be looking to change the management team. I think that it's too early to have that conversation at this stage. Yes, there are clubs like Coventry City who have hired and sacked the likes of Russell Slade during the time that we've been on this bad run, but I would argue there that their board's decision to move onto their fourth manager of the 2016-17 season may be at the heart of why they are where they are, rather than whatever Slade was able to do across a two month period at the Ricoh Arena.

Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and Cheltenham Town have all tried changing managers four times in a single season, and the end of that campaign had the same outcome that I think Coventry's will have. We ourselves used four managers in a single year - albeit spread over two seasons - during 2015, as we bounced our way through Gary Johnson, Terry Skiverton, Paul Sturrock and then Darren Way, and my view was that the haphazard way we made many of those decisions contributed to our downfall.

That said, I do think Darren needs to demonstrate between now and the end of the season that he is capable of getting us out of the current rut that we're in. When contract decisions are made over the summer, and new players are recruited, we need to feel confident that the run that we are on will not be extended into next season. Recent matches - Cheltenham and Luton - have pointed to a deepening of that malaise, rather than something that you can cling onto and think that a corner has been turned.

On the plus side, Darren is at least trying some new things, such as moving away from the much-discussed 4-3-3 formation. We've seen a 3-5-2, a 4-1-3-2 and a 4-1-2-1-2 as a diamond formation. If you are going to get out of a rut, then it has to be by trying new things. That said, there are still plenty more options that haven't been tried out - Owain Jones hasn't even made the teamsheet in the last four matches, whilst most fans still don't know what Kabongo Tshimanga looks like, let alone what he can do on a football pitch. The usage of Shayon Harrison has been greater, but still sporadic.

Then there's also the way the midfield line interact with the forward line - in many recent fixtures it's not been a question about whether our strikers are good or bad - it's been their complete lack of opportunities. Against Notts County, our one true chance came from Alex Lawless, whilst for Mansfield, Matt Dolan gave us our one shot on target. At least against Luton, Francois Zoko and Shayon Harrison got good efforts on goal, but not as many as you'd hope your strikers would be getting fed with. Quite clearly, if it's the supply to the front line, then Harry Kane can stand in the middle of the opposition penalty box for us, and he'd still struggle to score.

Our next three games are against Morecambe, Barnet and Accrington Stanley. All three around us in the League Two table, and all three extremely inconsistent in their results. All three survive on small crowds and low income. Whilst I don't expect all nine points, I think it's reasonable to expect at least one of those matches to result in a win, whilst anything less than four or five points would be disappointing. If we came out of those matches still on our current winless run, then clearly questions would be asked.

First of all Luton were superb on Saturday so no complaints about the result. I also have no complaints about the teams effort and can accept our players aren't as good as teams like Luton. What I have had enough of is the manager. How he can complain about the penalty is amazing, what would he have said if it had been at the other end , the same as me I expect he would have been screaming for a penalty.
When he first came to the job his enthusiasm was just what was needed to replace Sturrock's seemingly total indifference and boredom. Now he just looks out of his depth. No substitute until the hour mark and surprise , surprise it's Whitfield again not the defensive midfielder on a booking.
Also even when behind everyone back at corners and free kicks, it ain't rocket science if the ball gets cleared it will com straight back and it's negative!
I think it is time for him and Skiverton to go. By my reckoning apart from Sturrock since 2001 it has been Gary or one of his ex assistants in charge. What we want is a genuine search for new management and new ideas not more of the same but with a board solely interested in building hotels,shops,cafes etc there is no chance.
07/03/2017 15:29:16

phil carey said ...

He may have tried different formations but it seems the players don't understand them . The strikers look more effective with eaves leading the line i think 4-4-2 with proper wide men would help with the strikers height.
07/03/2017 15:35:06

Dusty said ...

That's a fair summing up. We have been here before, quite a few times in recent years actually. Since we can't buy Messi and a few other like him, the answer is the team has got to get back to doing the basics well - positional discipline and covering each other when defending is no 1 (I thought this was Skivo's job but he isn't very good at it at times). Secondly, make sure each player knows what their team mates can do (their skill level, pace and technique) and will do on the pitch. Thirdly, forget about fancy formations - do 4-4-2 well and the team will succeed in leagues 2&1. Fourthly, when moving forward do it with pace - pace is the one aspect of football which is common to all successful teams at any level. Lastly, pass the ball to a team mate and move into space is the minimum from each player going forward. As for DW, the team is all his and he is slipping into the classic failing manager routine in interviews - externalising the problem. Own it Darren and get back to basics.
07/03/2017 17:31:32

Bournemouth glover said ...

The points that you raise are consistent to what many are thinking, the constant reference to the age of the squad is a nonsense as is social media, the interviews always say the same thing as in losing Hedges and Khan but all teams lose players at some stage of the season. On our day we can look a good outfit but more often recently we have been truly awful. I can see only diehard supporters seeing out the season as the entertainment is about as appealing as the food huts! I just can't understand why we recruited so many untried loan players, don't give them an opportunity then complain about them being young and needing to learn. I've said it before why doesn't Ollie Bassett get given a chance, one of our own, he showed great potential in his appearances last season. The crowd would take to having a local lad given a chance more so than seeing a loan player making 5-10minute cameo appearances. I fear he will leave like the other two academy players unless he is shown to be wanted. All said and done I want Darren to succeed and wish him well.
07/03/2017 17:55:56

I think our problem stems from lack of any creative ability other than Dickson overlapping down the wing. it becomes very predictable.
Our alleged creative midfielder (Dolan) cannot defend is to slow to catch a cold so we are playing with 10 men from the start
07/03/2017 18:40:34

Mark Budden said ...

I agree, no complaints about the result although it was sad to see it as bad as 0-4. Clearly Luton are a better team than us but then so are Plymouth and we beat them. Normally a point at home to a team like Mansfield, pushing for promotion... would be a good thing but therein lies a problem.... Due to other recent results it seemed like a defeat.Damage was done at home particularly against Leyton Orient but also Cambridge United and at Blackpool... draws from winning positions. Had we won two or even just one of those things might have seemed different.I can't believe we will end up in a relegation fight but from here to finish just in the top half would be great and we are 7 or so points off being able to do that.
07/03/2017 19:08:58

Ems said ...

All teams get one has defeat .Let's be positive Otis be back soon . Have Faith in Darren
08/03/2017 10:01:36

John Clark said ...

Perhaps we should try springing a few surprises based on individual skills e.g. Whitlock running ar defenders at an angle, more Dolan blockbusters from a bit further out. Try Kevin Dawson as captain and see if his effort can be used to lift the others? Assuming he can stay on the pitch. Seems to have worked with Dylan Hartley...
08/03/2017 10:37:55

Green Commuter said ...

It's all part of the general malaise that is hanging over the club - from the top down it appears directionless. There are two elderly men pulling the strings, both of whom appear to be inheritance tax planning with land assets, rather than creating 5 year strategy plans for the future success of the football club.

We have a very average team that probably, at best, is mid-table - that seemingly can play a limited game that seems to be easily countered by even average opposition. Up against a decent team like Luton and it was their easy pickings. Whilst Danny Hylton played the pantomime villain he led their line, fought and hassled for every ball, was a complete pain in the arse....and had a fair amount of skill to deploy on top. What we would give.....

Not sure what the answer is - clearly it needs a root and branch change but that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

I wonder what the insolvency clause looks like in that legal charge....Mmmmmmm
08/03/2017 16:49:40

Mike N said ...

My biggest frustration remains brininging everyone back behind the ball for every corner and free kick , it's negative , pointless and a failed Skiverton tactic that Darren initially shrugged off for a short while with success but he has now adopted it again with no result. If things don't change they both need to go, football is meant to be entertaining not just packing everyone in the goalmouth and hoping to hang on. Darren appears to have no time for Ollie Bassett but the lad deserves a chance even as a sub , as he has a great touch and potential but until Darren goes I feel he won't get that chance, Darren needs to start ignoring Skivo or they both need to walk.
08/03/2017 22:37:11

Tony Jones said ...

I haven't lost faith in Darren Way. He's Yeovil through and through, and you wouldn't find anyone more committed to the cause. You can't buy that. He's got no money to spend, a young squad with too many loanees, and dwindling gates. No wonder we struggle.
Having said that, I fully understand the frustration expressed in an authoritative article.
I'm torn, but Darren is a fine Yeovil manager who deserves our support.
09/03/2017 12:31:29

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